Dear You

22.6.15

Dear you,I saw you for the first time today. Your red curls were tied in pigtails, and they bounced up and down as your hands clutched the jump rope that made you skip so. The smile on your face was genuine and looked as if it would never leave it. But when you fell and scraped your knee, tears fell freely from your face. Your hands were raw and red, and you ran crying leaving me staring at the places on the sidewalk where your feet had touched.

Dear you,I was swinging as fast as my chubby legs could take me. I saw you playing in the sandbox and when I came to join you, you didn't protest. No words were exchanged, but together we built a mis-happened sandcastle.

Dear you,Today was the first day of school. You sit next to me on my right-hand side. I told you my name and you told me yours.

Dear you,It's been a year. We've spent it together, flying kites, making lemonade, and climbing trees. I could never imagine having a better friend than you.

Dear you,We had a fight the other day. It nearly caused my heart to break. It was about such a silly thing; I don't remember it now. You did nothing wrong, I know. The fault was all mine. I hope you'll understand.

Dear you,I'm so happy for you. You've always wanted to travel. I suppose that's why you're leaving. You've promised to write, though I know we will drift apart, just as all friends do in the end. Our childhood and youth is complete, and we are left with nothing but memories.

Dear you, I haven't seen you in months. You called nearly every day at first, and then just once a week. It's been seven weeks since I last heard from you. I know you're busy, but I can't help but wonder what our lives would be like if you had decided to stay.

Dear you,I tried to call you last night. It's been two years since I last heard your voice. I still remember that first day when you fell. I wonder if we'll ever see each other again.

Dear you,I was sitting in the coffeehouse today when I saw someone from behind who looked exactly like you. Her flaming red curls bounced up and down just like yours, and she wore that same sky blue cardigan you have loved since highschool. I think I would have called out your name if I hadn't known you lived halfway across the country.

Dear you,It really was you that day. I was walking by the park where we had played so long ago when I saw you. I knew it was you. Your head was down and your hands were gripping the chains of the swing you sat on. I've missed you.

Dear you,You've moved back. You have a job. So much has changed, but everything still feels like it did when we were children when I'm with you.

Dear you,It's been months since I saw you at the coffeehouse. I want to be able to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be able to see your smile and your morning hair for the rest of my life. I'm going to ask you to marry me.

Dear you,You said yes.

Dear you,We moved into our first home. Everybody from my family and yours pitched in. The whole house is filled with boxes, and hardly anything has been unpacked. Every morning when we wake up, we are unable to find any mugs, so we have our coffee in a sugar bowl and a milk pitcher.

Dear you,It must be so hard for you. Having something inside you, and experiencing all that pain. I wish I could help. I really do.

Dear you,I'm so glad we have such wonderful lives and have settles down together. I'm sorry I haven't been helping much with the kids. I'll try to help more often.

Dear you,When you smile, it still send goosebumps up my spine, though that doesn’t happen very often anymore. I wish you’d get better. It didn’t seem serious at first, and you improved so much. Now just you’re back where you started. I want to take you back home and pick you up right before we go through the door, just like I did when we first moved in. I wish you’d wake up so I could see your smile once again.

Dear you,I read you all these letters. They were just a few out of so many others that I never gave to you, but these were the most important. It made me so happy that I had made you smile one last time.

Your last words to me were: "do what I always wanted to." So I will.

Dear you,This is going to be the last letter. I'm going to bury these with you, so you'll have them with you always.. I sold our home. I couldn’t bear to live in there all alone without you. It was the house of our dreams, and now that you’re gone, it has no meaning to me. The kids are off at college and they’ll probably buy their own places after that. I’m leaving to see the world, just like you asked me too. I’m old now, but I’d do anything for you. I’ve been thinking about that day, so long ago, when I first saw you, your hair bouncing up and down just before you fell. The only thing I have left of you are memories, but I think they will be enough for now.

I love you and I miss you.

Wait for me; Don't go away. If you promise me that, I think I'll be alright.